Philadelphia Phillies offer financial relief to reliever Scott Eyre

Still going: The Phillies’ Jamie Moyer, 46, throws two scoreless innings as he heads toward his 23rd season.

BRADENTON — Reliever Scott Eyre, one of several major-leaguers inadvertently caught up in the federal investigation of Stanford Investment Group, recently found out his bank account funds were frozen and realized he didn't have enough money to pay his bills.

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In stepped the Phillies with some relief Wednesday, advancing Eyre an undisclosed amount of his $2 million salary to hold him over until his Stanford account becomes available. Eyre said his only other account has a $3,000 balance.

Securities and Exchange Commission officials raided the offices of R. Allen Stanford on Feb. 17 and froze the assets of three companies he controls, alleging he orchestrated an $8 billion investment fraud.

"If we paid our bills, we wouldn't have any money," Eyre said. "I'll pay (the Phillies) back whenever I can. I invested in (Stanford) three years ago (and) thought it was too good to be true — and it was."

Game notes: LHP Jamie Moyer, 46, allowed two walks and a single, but he got two strikeouts and pitched two scoreless innings against the Pirates in an 8-2 loss in Bradenton. … Two other relievers didn't fare as well. Joe Bisenius gave up four runs, two hits and two walks, and Scott Nestor surrendered three runs, three hits and two walks.

That puts Sabathia on the mound April 6 for opening day at Baltimore, and the rotation appears to give Girardi a choice of Chamberlain or Sabathia for the April 16 home opener at new Yankee Stadium against Cleveland.

Girardi also said he plans to have Chamberlain make about 30 starts this season.

More pitching: Closer Mariano Rivera (right shoulder) is expected to throw a bullpen session for the first time next week, and DH Hideki Matsui may be ready to play in games by next week. … RHPs Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras will stay with the team instead of playing for Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Game notes: RHP Brett Tomko, a nonroster invitee, threw two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit in the 6-1 win over Toronto in Dunedin. … Brett Gardner, a candidate for the starting centerfielder job, led off the game with a homer.

Blue Jays: Cecil solid

DUNEDIN — LHP Brett Cecil, who is competing for a spot in Toronto's rotation, allowed just one run in two innings during a 6-1 loss to the visiting Yankees.

Cecil's lone hit and run was a homer by Yankees CF Brett Gardner. Otherwise, Cecil finished with four strikeouts and one walk, throwing 41 pitches (26 strikes). LHP Ricky Romero threw 12/3 innings and allowed the fourth-inning two-run homer to Alex Rodriguez. "It was just a fastball I left up, and he's a great hitter," Romero said. "He's going to hit mistakes, and I made a mistake. I was just trying to be aggressive."

Also: SS John McDonald doubled and scored the Jays' only run in the third inning. … Former major-league SS Mike Bordick, who ended his 14-year career with Toronto in 2003, joined the team as a roving minor-league infield instructor.